Some
principles of Xingyiquan
Xingyiquan's principles is somewhat the same as Wing Chun.
Practicality
Xingyi was designed purely for fighting rather than artistic or
sport applications. As such, its techniques emphasise practicality
and effectiveness over aesthetic or athletic value. Most strikes
are fatal and target vulnerable areas of the body such as the
throat and eyes.
Economy of Movement
Most Xingyi movements are linear and initiated along an imaginary
line of attack, or the centerline. The pao quan (cannon punch), for
example, is delivered centrally from the practitioner's chest
rather than diagonally from the shoulders in the first two forms.
This helps teach the centerline concept, but in later forms the
punch is delivered from the practitioner's shoulder to the
centerline, because the distance is shorter than bringing the hand
from the shoulder to the center of the chest, and then to travel
down the centerline at your opponent. Also, as an expression of
one's skill and experience, the punch is delivered from any
starting point in time and space, to a specific finishing point in
space where both the centerline and your opponent meet. This is
achieved through successful negotiation of the centerline through
any weakness found in your opponent's pressure.
Xingyi uses all four limbs in fighting because this offers the
practitioner more options in selecting the best limb for the task.
The legs seemed as if it is not utilized, which in fact, are being
utilized. Xingyi legs are called "hidden" legs, because you can get
hit by the practitioner in the leg yet not see their legs moved a
bit.
Efficiency
Xingyi stresses that one must deflect punches or blows, not block
them. That is because if you block, you will expose your body.
Exposing your body means the attacker can find vulnerable points in
your body and attack you. However, if you deflect, your hands and
legs are still close to your body. Since they are close to your
body, you can move faster than your opponent. Deflecting your
opponent's punches or blows are also meant to offset their balance.
Experienced practitioners will be able to do this. Beginners will
find this hard and find themselves blocking all the time.
Centerline
The following should not be considered an authoritative work,
Center Line Theory is not something that found from reading about
it, one should discover their own center line under the guidence of
a qualiied sifu.
Xingyi emphasizes attack and defense along an imaginary horizontal
line drawn from the center of the practioner's chest to the center
of the enemy's chest. The human body's prime striking targets are
considered to be on or near this line. Most of the deadly points
are also located more or less along this line, and if you are
attacked in your centrepoint, it is usually fatal.
A Xingyi practitioner will strive to protect his centerline and
attack his opponent's. Footwork is used to offset you from your
enemy's centerline while keeping your enemy in yours. Most hand
techniques place one hand close to the chest, to ward off punches
that manage to get past the lead hand. The elbows are kept low, to
protect your vulnerable spots on body, and keep your structure
strong (elbows should be a fists distance from the body).
Xingyi techniques are "closed", the limbs drawn in to protect the
centerline and also to maintain balance. Generally, the hands do
not move beyond the vertical circle that is described by swinging
the arms in front, with the hands crossed at the wrists. To reach
outside this area, footwork is used.
One subtle advantage of attacking the centerline is force
redirection, or rather the lack of it. Hitting someone on the side
(for example the shoulder) will cause the recipient's body to
twist, harmlessly dissipating a portion of the attacking energy.
Hitting someone in the center causes more of the energy to be
transmitted to the body. (The closer the line of force is to the
center of mass, the less torque, and thus less rotation,
result.)
